TUGUEGARAO CITY, Cagayan (PIA) - - Incoming first-year college students enrolled in agriculture-related programs, including veterinary medicine, fishery, forestry, and law, will receive educational aid from the Local Government Unit (LGU) of Baggao in this province.

Under Municipal Ordinance 2022-045, qualified students studying in various higher educational institutions (HEIs) enrolled in the said programs will receive P3,000 financial assistance from the LGU once they submit the needed requirements and passed the qualifications, such as a photocopy of their report card or grades (Grade 12), a photocopy of their school ID or any valid ID, and a photocopy of their proof of enrollment or assessment form.

Vice Mayor Rowel B. Gazmen said the scholarship is a continuing program of the LGU that aims to encourage incoming college students to take agriculture-related courses, including veterinary medicine, fishery, forestry, and law, as they have observed that some of the youth today don’t appreciate the relevance of these industries.

In May this year, the LGU distributed the financial assistance to the current scholars who are also enrolled in the said various programs.

Jecelyn Pagela, mother of one of the scholars who’s taking up an agriculture program, expressed her gratitude to the LGU during the awarding of financial assistance.

"Nagimbag ni Apo ta maysa ti anakko a naikkan ti iskolar. Agyamanak kadakayo nga opisyales iti blessing nga naggapo kadakayo. Kadakayo nga annak, igaed ken ipasnek yo ti agbasa," said Pagela in Iloko.

(I am very grateful that one of my children was awarded a scholarship. Thank you to the officials for choosing my son. To the scholars, study hard.)

"Thankful nak iti daytoy nga tulong kadakami nga iskolar ta nagadu ti mabayadan dagiti nagannak. Dakkel a tulong daytoy. Ket sapay kuma ta ma-maintain tayo ti grades tayo," said Jamaica Pattung, one of the scholars taking up veterinary medicine.

(I am very thankful for the educational assistance for us scholars because our parents have many concerns to attend to. This is a big help. To my fellow scholars, let us maintain our grades.)

Sangguniang Bayan Member Jaime E. Ramos Jr., chairperson on Committee on Eductaion, said that this scholarship program is a product of the ordinance passed by the Council and a fulfillment of one of their platforms during the campaign period.

"Makakaasa kayo na tuloy tuloy ang programang ito sa ilalim ng aking panunungkulan. Kayat mag-aral kayong mabuti," said Mayor Leonardo C. Pattung.

(You can count on this program to continue under my tenure. So study hard.)

For his part, Vice Mayor Rowel B. Gazmen thanked all SB Members for approving the ordinance for the said program as well as Mayor Pattung for allocating funds for it to be fully implemented.

"Tulungan na kayo ti gobyerno ngem masapol met a tulungan yo ti bagi yo nga agbasa a nalaing," the vice mayor told the scholars.

(The government is fulfilling its mandate to help you finish your studies, so please help yourselves by studying hard.)

Meanwhile, the Sangguniang Bayan will also study the suggestion of the populace to also provide scholarships for Baggaoeños who will enroll in medicine programs. (OTB/MDCT/PIA Cagayan)